I absolutely love Jaci Burton’s Hope series! Small-town romances are definitely my cup of tea!

Josie and Zach’s story is fun, sexy and full of all kinds of good feels! Their chemistry is off the charts! The sexual tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife! I really enjoyed their scenes together, especially when it involved their furry friends.

Josie has trust issues stemming from some serious family issues but that didn’t stop Zach from wanting to get closer to her. He scored a lot of points with me! And can we just talk about Zach for a minute? This high school football coach was once a former NFL football player. RAWR! He’s still toned and making the football moms drool! Not to mention a certain English teacher 😉

The supporting cast is also wonderful. I love revisiting all the Hope couples. We also get a quick mention from Ms. Burton’s Play by Play series. I loved it!

ONE PERFECT KISS is a sweet and sexy romance with all the fixings!

I enjoyed One Perfect Kiss. The easy, beach kind of romance read. Not over complex, easily followed and an intriguing group of characters that seem to have an affinity for loving animals. You can't go wrong with an animal loving cast.

That being said, I had a hard time justifying Josie's choices and personality vacillations between mature and educated to irrational. She was burned, had a hard time trusting but the conflicts were internal and self induced which didn't not endear me towards her.

I liked One Perfect Kiss, it was one of those reads you just need when you searching for a light romance book-vacation.

I received this ARC copy of One Perfect Kiss from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. One Perfect Kiss is set for publication Sept 4, 2018.

My Rating: 3 stars
Written by: Jaci Burton
Series: A Hope Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 8
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
ISBN-10: 0399585095
ISBN-13: 978-0399585098
Genre: Contemporary Romance

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One Perfect Kiss is a heartwarming story of learning to love and trust when both have been elusive. Josie Barnes is new to Hope, Oklahoma and loves her teaching job, her fur babies, and her friends. Hanging out together she’s noticed Zach Powers and is definitely attracted to the high school football coach/history teacher. There’s no denying an attraction between the two of them, but should she act on it?

Zach Powers does all he can for his players and that means confronting Josie when she places his players on probation. His team is having a really good season and he needs all his players in good academic standing and that means working with Josie. Keeping things professional is necessary but he sure would like to get to know her on a personal level. When she finally gives him the green light, he knew that she would be more than he imagined and the sexual chemistry would be off the charts. When she shows signs that this is only fun for her can he convince her what he feels in his heart when he knows she’s never felt love before?

One Perfect Kiss has all the elements of a good romance story from the cute pets, witty banter, a flawed heroine, and one understanding hero. It was also good to catch up with the previous couples from earlier books and see where life is taking them. Josie has overcome so much in her life and to see her grow with the help from her friends and introspection, it’s very gratifying. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and its understated romance and wish I could live in Hope, OK.

I went into One Perfect Kiss with high hopes because I have really enjoy Jaci Burton's work in the past. While this was a decent book, it didn't really live up to what I expect when I read something from her.
Josie and Zach are both recent transplants to Hope, both are teachers, and both have some emotional baggage. I liked both characters, I really liked them together, but a lot of their interactions felt forces and stilted.
I do have to confess that I have missed a lot of the Hope books, so a good chunk of the secondary cast was new to me and the time spent of following their story lines made the overall narrative drag a little bit as well.
This is a standalone work. From the timelines discussed, I'm guessing that Zach and Josie have appeared in prior Hope books, so if you have been following the series then you will probably be glad to see what happens for them. As a reader who has not read the series religiously, I would have preferred to have a little less time spent on the large secondary cast and would have hoped to see a little more chemistry between the primary romantic couple.

Her past left her craving a sense of home and belonging. Josie Barnes found that Hope, Oklahoma could be that “home” she never had. She has found new friends who are genuine and is trying to leave her painful past behind. She even has “eyes” for the high school football coach, Zach Powers.

Zach has always noticed Josie since she joined his circle of friends. He’s also noticed she carries emotional scars, but he is determined to be the man who makes her forget all others. Jaci Burton’s ONE PERFECT KISS should be that light romance that makes for a perfect, upbeat love story of two souls meant to be together.

For me, it wasn’t all it could have been. Zach was patient, caring and most definitely willing to do what it took to get Josie to notice him as more than a friend. Josie was like an emotional ping pong ball, warm and flirtatious one minute, doing a complete reversal the next.

Together, their mental dialogues were almost mirrored words…and actually sounded like they were part of the high school crowd, things were repeated so much. That said, the rest of the characters were delightful and truly gave a sense of continuity to the story! Toss in some furry friends, each with personalities more defined than the main characters and this less than defining romance makes for some good beach or poolside reading.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from the Berkley Group!

Series: Hope - Book 8
Publisher: Berkley (September 4, 2018)
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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I was so excited to grab this new book by Jaci Burton! 

~Disclaimer: Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ~ 

One Perfect Kiss will be out on September 4th, 2018 for purchase! 

One Perfect Kiss is book number eight in Jaci Burton's "Hope" series. You don't TECHNICALLY need to read the others first, but you'll feel more connected to the story if you do. This can, in my opinion, almost be read as a stand-alone. 

Reading Order: Hope Smolders, Hope Flames, Hope Ignites, Hope Burns, Love After All, Make me Stay, Don't Let Go, Love me Again, AND THEN - One Perfect Kiss. 

One Perfect Kiss follows the story of Josie, a highschool teacher, and Zach, a highschool football couch. I found that the original blurb made me think there would me more conflict than there actually was between the characters. Zach is actually very nice about Josie being rough on the players, and Josie... is well.... I'll explain more below. 


"Josie knew better than to trust in fairy tales, because she knew better than most that there was no such thing as a happily-ever-after." Jaci Burton, One Perfect Kiss
This was a perfect book to read as part of relaxing for end of summer. It's fast paced and easy to binge through. Having animals included in a story is always a BIG plus for me as well, and you absolutely get a few adorable fur characters. Zach's character was sweet and very relatable. He handled the main heroine well and I liked his overall personality. 

Josie to me was a mix of hot and cold. Sometimes her character was warm and inviting, other times I could barely keep up with what was going on in her mind. I'm not sure if this wasn't the author's intent though as she's supposed to be burned from a past relationship. However, this continuous mix and match did pull me out of the story occasionally. I did like their budding romance and the overall story. It was fun read! 

Overall, this book was a quick read and would be perfect for a weekend getaway or a relaxing 'me time' moment. 

Overall Rating: 3.25 Stars
Plot: 4 Stars
Character Development: 3 Stars
Dialogue: 3 Stars
Writing: 3 Stars
I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys romance and light-hearted contemporary. If you enjoy this book and haven't read the first couple in this series, I would highly recommend those books. I probably enjoyed them more. (#spoilers)

Happy reading!!

~Ash

3.5 Stars

Josie Barnes finally found the life she was looking for in Hope, Oklahoma. She teaches English at the local high school and has true friends for the first time in her life. Josie’s strong attraction to the football coach, Zach Powers, and his to her drives much of the story. The problem that complicates everything is her stubborn habit of clinging to the past where most people she counted on let her down. Her mother, who had addiction issues, and a boyfriend who was a cheater made Josie fearful of opening her heart to love. Zach seems too good to be true so Josie constantly keeps him unbalanced with mixed signals about her feelings.

Zach, a former pro football player, has his own family issues so that he has kept a tight rein on letting people get close. As he is the football coach, much of the story also focuses on his relationship with his team. Some players have run afoul of Ms. Barnes by not doing their schoolwork. Zach cares about their academics as well as sports, but he needs those players to win their games.

Josie and Zach’s relationship is quite a slow burn mainly because she can’t let go of the past. While I enjoyed the witty dialogue and the relationships with their group of friends who have featured in previous books, Josie is one of those frustrating characters who a reader wants to give a good shake and say “snap out of it.” It is understandable that her past made Josie cautious; however, she takes it to a level that seems extreme and somewhat immature. This is book 8 in Ms. Burton’s Hope series, but can be read as a standalone.

One Perfect Kiss by Jaci Burton
Book #8: Hope Series
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: 3/5 stars


The Bottom Line: I failed myself when I requested this book from NetGalley. I always try to check before requesting to ensure a book I’m interested in isn’t a part of a series I haven’t read. Apparently, I failed to do so this time and ended up reading the eighth book in a series I’ve never read. I can’t say I loved this book because I often felt like a duck out of water where the characters and their backstories are concerned, but I didn’t completely dislike it either. It’s not the author’s fault I’m an idiot 😊 Josie often read as a bit of a cynic and something of a coward, but I did like her naughty side and cheeky comments she often made to Zach. Zach and his little rescue dog are by far my favorite characters in this read and would have liked much more of the two of them. The romance is appropriately low heat, the hometown/small town setting is a personal favorite, and the focus on adopt don’t shop where animals are concerned made me wonderfully happy. The only thing that kept me from well and truly enjoying this read was the sense of disorientation where the cast of characters is concerned. I fully intend to rectify this situation and catch up on the Hope series as I think it is likely a very good one.

Another great read from Mrs Burton. I love the Hope series. Her characters and stories are very real : real jobs, real problems, real friendships, real love. Add a dog to the mix and it makes for a great story.

I really liked this story. I thought the characters were interesting and the story was sweet. I enjoyed the back and forth between the characters and the supporting characters stood out to me. However, I am going with a three star, just because it didn't hold my interest the entire time. I didn't feel as much of a connection as I have to other stories. That being said, I would definitely read more from this author. I liked the writing style. I just wanted a little more.

Josie and Zach are teachers at Hope High School. They hang out in the same group of friends and that’s how they met. They are attracted to each other, but nothing had been done about it until when this book starts.

When our book opens Zach is getting on Josie’s case for putting a couple of his players on academic probation. When he finds out that they just aren’t doing the work and it’s nothing vindictive, then he calms down and helps his players get their assignments done. Zach thinks it’s about time he finally ask Josie out as he thinks she’s attractive.

Josie has issues with relationships. Her mother is a drug addict and Josie pretty much raised herself. When she went to college she had a boyfriend but after a while of dating he broke up with her and then she found out he had another girlfriend the whole time he was dating Josie. When Zach starts hanging around she thinks that having a little fun would be good but has no thoughts of it being anything permanent.

I liked Zach and Josie and thought they were good together. We got to see characters from past Hope novels and that was good too. The rescue animals were a bonus as they were so cute.

My main problem with the story was that it was slow. I kept putting the book down and then having to force myself to go back to it. If it wasn’t a book I had to review I would have dnf’d it. Not that it was bad, don’t get me wrong, but there was just nothing happening that kept my attention. I also didn’t feel the attraction between Zach and Josie. How can I enjoy a romance when I’m just not feeling it?

I hate to say this about a Burton book because I normally really like her stories but this one just didn’t work for me.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5


This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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Josie Barnes has never had a place to call home and to feel like she belonged. But she has moved to Hope, Oklahoma where she teaches at the high school and now owns a home.

Zach Powers had to rebuild a career for himself after an injury ended his NFL career. He now coaches at the high school in Hope and he loves it. It was an adjustment that he is finally comfortable with.

Josie and Zach are attracted to each other and begin a relationship. But when Zach expresses his feelings Josie pulls back. Because of a past relationship and her family history Josie has trust issues. Zach will prove to Josie that she can trust him.

A sweet addition to Jaci Burton's Hope Series. Not only for the human relationship that is grown, but also the animal one. Not everyone is perfect but it doesn't mean that they shouldn't be loved the same. A sweet read for a rainy afternoon or day at the beach.

Reviewed by Deborah from <a href="http://www.alphabookclub.org/">Alpha Book Club</a> <br><img src="https://alphabookclub.org/wp-content/uploads/Deborah.png" width="150" height="150" alt="description"/> <img src="http://alphabookclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ABC_Pinterest.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="description"/>

The gang in Hope is back and with characters Josie and Zach making us fall in love with the people and the town even more. Josie and Zach are both teachers at the high school and when she puts some of his players on probation, they start this game of flirtation. They hang out with some of the same friends but when they are in the school environment they would just acknowledge one another will a greeting. They are attracted to one another and have never done anything past flirting until one night they have the perfect kiss. Their story is one of two people who are good at keeping people at a distance find out that being in Hope makes it difficult for them to keep to themselves. When they have so many kisses before taking their relationship to another level it makes them wonder what they were missing all this time. Zach is the more open one in this book whereas Josie is closed off and afraid. She is confident in some areas but once you get your heartbroken it takes its toll on her. It’s all about if she can open her heart to Zach and see what everyone has been telling her all along.

I love that this is a story of friendship, family and love. There are some funny moments and sometimes when I was like Josie what are you doing. Zach, I loved him because he was honest, sexy, real and loving. I see what Josie has saw in him, but she was too stubborn some of the time and blind to the obvious. This is a sweet story with some hot and intense chemistry mixed in. Both characters have their own vulnerabilities and I love reading about that. It flows from scene to scene and it will catch from the first page. One Perfect Kiss sends you a message of opening your heart is a risk you should take and do not let the past hold you back or you will miss out on the greatest things.

*I read an ARC and this is my honest review*

It has been a while since I have read a Jaci Burton story, and I have not read any of the previous Hope book, however this did not affect my enjoyment of One Perfect Kiss.

Zack and Josie's story is sweet and cute and adorable and just the light read that I needed this past weekend after reading a few emotionally draining stories in a row.

I loved the support characters (even though I hadn't read any of their stories), they are all well rounded and added a lot of depth to the story.

I did get a bit frustrated with Josie's flip-flopping between wanting Zach and then whining about how her ex hurt her and how Zack would too. I wanted to talk some sense into her!

I am a big fan of stories with characters that are animal lovers - makes me miss my old girl but makes me smile!

I really enjoyed my tour of Hope, Oklahoma, and I have already added some of the previous books to my kindle.

Can't wait to see what Ms Burton brings us next.

I had never read this author’s books, but I liked the synopsis, so figured I would give it a try. Sadly, it wasn’t what I expected.

Josie and Zach are decent enough characters. They’re both driven, loyal, good people. They’re just insanely boring. I didn’t see any chemistry between them at all and that made some of the cringeworthy scenes even worse. As for secondary characters, I’m assuming everyone else is from the previous books. They’re all either pregnant or just had a baby and it was near impossible to keep anyone straight.

Plot wise is where I really struggled. It was all step by step telling, not showing and there isn’t any conflict or build up. It was all so bland and felt very pointless. Oh and there are legit pages of descriptions on what each person is wearing in the scenes.

Overall, something kept me reading, but I’m not sure what it was. I will not be reading any other books in this series.

**Huge thanks to Berkley for providing the arc free of charge**

I love this series! I've read them all and was so excited to read Zach and Josie's story. While the story is a cute read, it lacks the sizzle I expect from this series. Although, I did enjoy keeping up with what's happening with all the other Hope residents.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

"Josie knew better than to trust in fairy tales, because she knew better than most that there was no such thing as a happily-ever-after."

Though this is the 8th book in the Hope series, I read it as a standalone. I really enjoyed the support characters whom I'm assuming the other stories are focused on, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of this story not to have read them yet.

This is only my second book by this author, my first being in her Play by Play series. I must say, there was a big difference. This one moved a lot slower and I admit that I struggled with the pace. Both of the main characters were reluctant to jump into a relationship. Since they both worked as teachers at the same high school it kept them in the friend zone longer than I would have liked.

I kept thinking that Zach being a former pro football player, he would have more game when it came to women, but he's sweet, friendly, and more of a loner and not alpha other than with the boys that he coaches. Football is his passion and he really cares about the kids he teaches. When some of his best players end up on academic probation he's not happy they might not be able to play. When he heads over to talk to the teacher responsible I was expecting fireworks, but alas I was disappointed. He was 'nice' and I didn't get the BOOM!

Josie is new to Hope. She's looking to start over, make friends, and forget her painful past. She had a tough childhood and that experience makes her a great teacher. She has a big heart and wants to help others find the love and acceptance she didn't have. She's also an animal lover and she feels the same way about them. But, her feelings of unconditional love do not extend to herself. She's been hurt and wants no part of love with a man, she just wants to have fun. It's safer that way, nobody gets hurt, right?

The attraction between Zach and Josie is obvious to everyone and I think their friends were as frustrated as I was that they moved so slowly. I agreed with Zach when he told Josie, "So one bad guy breaks your heart, and now you paint us all with the same brush?" But, at the same time, I understand why she feels the need to protect her heart. Hopefully, she will realize that their One Perfect Kiss was better than all the others that came before it and worth taking a chance on a future with the man that "wore hot like a brand."

3.5 Stars

I love Jaci Burton. It’s been a while since I’ve picked up one of her books but I still adore her. I did feel the writing was a little stiff at times but I still loved the story. I’m going to miss the gang in Hope.

Josie is a high school English teacher and Zach is the history teacher and the football coach. Some of his athletes are bound for academic probation because of their English grades. Zach confronts Josie and the sparks begin. Does love take time or does it happen all at once? What is love? Is there more than one kind? Read, enjoy and find out.